Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Spring Fever - Being productive while still being able to breathe during Spring Break
0 comments Posted by Laura Saloiye at 9:17 AM
It's finally that time of the semester. The time when Spring Break draws nigh and the idea of a week away from school makes us drool with anticipation. Unfortunately, beforehand (and even afterwards for some), we have exams, quizzes, papers, and all other sorts of homework to finish. Many times Spring Break is given as a chance to work on projects that would be impossible to handle during the daily rush of things. As such, an important question rises to the forefront of our minds.
How do we get homework done during spring break while still being able to relax and enjoy our break from school?
Well, the answer is simple, but not exactly as easy. Here's some steps to help you get started:
1. Make a list of MUST-DO assignments. These assignments are ones that are important and need your attention immediately. If you can't figure out what assignments are 'must-do' ones, then look at the syllabus. Must-do assignments often depend on the due date (is it due soon?) or the grade weight (what percentage of the final grade is the assignment?).
2. Space out some time during break specifically for homework. Now, this is not near as easy as it sounds. But pick a time every day where you will get away from family, friends and Facebook and just work on homework.
3. Use your resources. If you need to work on a paper over Spring Break, be sure to check your book out of the library before you leave! Or, check out the eBooks and Online Databases linked on the library.cairn.edu home page, and find what you need right there on your computer! Searching the online catalog can also bring up books that you can access on your computer while you're at home. Always be aware of the resources you have!
4. Take a break! Depending on the type of student you are, this might be the most important step. Especially at this point in the semester, we are more than capable of running our poor brains into the ground by overstudying. Burnout is very common during this time of midterms and essays, so be sure to step back and take a break! Your brain doesn't work nearly as well when it's worn out as it would if you just took a short break. For my break, I'll watch an episode of Friends. It's only 22 minutes long, and I feel refreshed enough afterwards that I can go back to tackling my homework! Once I get something else accomplished homework-wise, I can take another break and watch another episode. This keeps me from getting overly-stressed, and it keeps my brain from shutting down on me.
These steps are only the beginning, and all require discipline. That's where the hard part comes in. But if you follow these basic steps, then you should be able to be at least somewhat productive and be able to relax at the same time! Just remember not to get TOO burnt out on homework, and to enjoy your family and friends while you're at home! Also, for any of you staying on campus, please remember that we have adjusted hours for spring break! These can be seen in the 'hours' link on the library.cairn.edu homepage. Good luck everyone, and have a wonderful spring break!
~Rachel Krodel
5 Times the Library Is NOT Your Study Buddy
0 comments Posted by The Masland Library Blog at 10:30 AM
Student workers promote the library; but sometimes even we
acknowledge you can have too much of a good thing. Here are some suggested
alternatives.
1. You really need sleep, but you should be studying: You’ve
been up all night, but all night wasn’t enough, and your eyelids weigh a
million pounds, each.
Alternative: stay in your room. Consider sleeping 10-20
minutes. This light sleep cycle is perfect for a mind-clearing power nap, and
your best sleep is bound to happen in your own bed, not at a library table.
2. You’re really hungry, but you should be studying: You’ve
got a craving for potato chips. You know, and I know, that those chips aren’t
supposed to be in here, what with the rustling bag and the oily finger prints.
Alternative: head to the commuter lounge. The noise level is
fairly low, there’s couches, tables, computers - you can even buy your chips in
the vending machines there!
3. You really want to fight with your friend/significant
other, but you should be studying: you can’t seem to stop thinking about how
annoying the world is, when you should be figuring out how to end world hunger.
Alternative: walk through the neighborhood. Grab a friend
who will listen, or if you feel comfortable, go for a run by yourself. The
creepiest people who live in that neighborhood are probably your professors,
and the walking will calm your nerves and clear your head.
4. You’re really getting claustrophobic, but you should be
studying: Your room, the library, the MAC, yourroomthelibrarytheMACyourroomthelibrary--
MAKE IT STOP! You need a car.
Alternative: take the bus to Newtown. From the stop outside
Bottom Dollar, to the stop near Starbucks, the trip is $2.25 each way. The ride
is a little long, but if you want a place to study all day, that Starbucks is
definitely the cutest place to do it.
5. You really want to drop out of school, but you should be
studying: forget campus, forget even Newtown - that’s way too close. You might
see someone you know. You might think about homework. You might have a
flashback to today’s lecture. Help.
Alternative: go home. Sometimes, if at all possible, you
just need your family, your room, and some good food before you venture back to
the familiar face of the library front doors. And that’s okay! Even the most
independent of us need a break from the sterility of library life. Take the
weekend, and come back refreshed.
If we’re being honest, there are loads of times the library
just isn’t your best friend. That’s okay. Before you waste hours staring at the
wall, get your mind and body in the right place. And when you come back, you
might actually be able to get things done.
~Christine
Welcome to Cairn! It’s exciting isn’t it? All of the new
people, new places, new sounds, new surroundings can be so exhilarating….. or,
if you are like me when I first arrived, completely overwhelming! You suddenly
feel like you were thrown into a Twilight
Zone setting where you are expected to attend all of your classes, EVERY
chapel, do all of the readings, papers, projects for EVERY class, oh and keep
up a healthy regime of eating right at EVERY meal and exercising in the gym at
the MAC. Not to mention all of the activities that help build community so of
course you are obligated to go EVERY single one because who doesn’t want to be part
of community?!
Stop. Take a deep breath. Count to ten. Let it out.
Before you get too far into the semester, let me offer you
some tips that I have learned (and am still learning!):
Number 1: You don’t have to do it all. Yup I said it.
Obviously homework is a must because without it we wouldn’t learn but don’t
feel like you have to attend every activity this school has to offer. Think of
them as options. If you like music, attend the music events that seem
interesting to you. Or maybe you like to participate in sports, there is always
a sporting event you can attend and cheer on the Highlanders! Intramurals are
also a great way to be involved in sports. You get exercise and community; two
for the price of one!
Number 2: Sometimes you have to use your chapel skips. They
give us nine for a reason! Maybe you had a long night of studying and really
need that 50 minute break in your schedule to recuperate. Take that time by
yourself to refocus on the reason why you are doing all of this. Seek God’s
strength to help you through. Pray, read the passage of Scripture that is most
encouraging to you, and even sing songs that help draw you closer to God.
Number 3: The Library is here for YOU! Remember all of that
reading and those papers you need to write? The Library is a great place to
accomplish it all! It’s quiet all the time (unlike the dorms) and the Library
staff are here to help you with researching topics and finding books. There are even whole rooms set aside to help
keep you focused on your task. Have a question? The student workers and
Librarians will do their best to answer them! There are no “stupid” questions
and we love to help!
(P.S Did you know we have a movie collection??? Stop in
during the Library’s hours and pick up a movie to unwind from all of the
homework you are working on!)
]Here’s to you Freshmen in having the best first semester of
your college career!
Pray often, Laugh a lot, and hold on tight because college
flies by quickly!
~Jenny
We
are only a month or so into the school year, but the homework is starting to
pile up. Readings are stacking up, papers need to be written, and projects need
consideration. With papers, projects and readings looming overhead, I have
developed a list of tips to help a student stay on top of the mounds of
homework that further our education!
1.
Time it. I have seen the excellent advice of pacing yourself; set a timer,
generally 25-45 minutes. During this time period you do some hardcore
studying, not letting anything distract you. When the timer goes off, take a
5-15 minute break (setting the timer for that as well) to just do something
leisurely. Then go at it again, setting a timer to get some firm studying done.
2.
Close Facebook. No, seriously. Close it. In fact, don’t touch the
browser at all unless you are doing research. Don’t give yourself any excuses.
If you absolutely MUST check your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc, then do it
during the 5-15 minute break mentioned above. Be SURE to have your timer
though, because then you can’t get sucked in for endless hours; the timer will
force you to stop and go back to work.
3.
Environment matters. Don’t lay on your bed, or lay on a couch. Your
environment matters greatly when you study. If you study in a relaxing
environment that you always associate with a feeling of rest, then your brain
is going to switch to that resting mode it has for that environment. Choose
study-specific environments, like the library, or the commuter lounge, or even
just your desk in your room. If you don’t believe me that environment matters,
ask Matt McAlack! He’ll prove it to you in all the brainy technical terms
you’ll need.
4.
Prioritize. What’s due first? It’s best to get the things that are due
first out of the way. People often try to get the easiest assignments done
first, but that’s taking up valuable time that could be better spent on
something that is due sooner. This way, you don’t stress out about something
that’s due tomorrow because you were working on something that is due in three
days. Prioritizing has been especially easy for me with the app ‘MyHomework’,
which I got on my Kindle Fire HD. It’s absolutely free and it puts up the list
for you of what’s due first.
5.
Study Alone. I hear often that people study better in groups, but guys,
when we get down to it, we all know that the people we have around us are
distracting. When you’re spending time with friends, even if you’re both
supposed to be doing homework the temptation to goof off and have fun is
overwhelming. It is often best to study alone, or study with one person
who is quite studious themselves. It is easy to find a solitary space to study
in with the study rooms at the library, to which the keys can be checked out
right at the front desk.
6.
Use flash cards and notes. This method is especially helpful if you’re
in a class that has important terms that must be remembered. Write the term
down on one side of an index card, and then write the definition on the other
side. Then quiz yourself, only looking on the definition side once you’ve tried
to give your own. Also, during readings, it is highly profitable to take notes.
If something stands out to you, or if there’s something that you personally
disagree with, go ahead and write it down! The professor will absolutely love
it when you bring it up with them or the class.
7.
Get a head start and don’t cram. This is incredibly important. The
sooner you get to work on some of your homework, projects or papers, the sooner
it will be done. Cramming is not healthy, mentally or emotionally, and you retain
a lot less information when you cram than if you study at a more casual pace.
So try to make a list as early in the semester as you can of homework, big and
small, and their due dates. This way, when you get something done before it’s
due, you’ll have some time to just relax and do something fun instead of cram
for that particular piece of homework.
8.
Reward yourself. I saw a fantastic idea on Pinterest where a person put
gummi bears every so often on the pages of the book they were reading; when you
get to the gummi bear, you eat it! This can also be used with M&Ms,
Skittles, etc. It motivates you when you get a reward. I would highly suggest
this method; a mini candy bar always tastes better when you’ve worked hard to
earn it! It gives a much more positive attitude towards homework when you know
you’ll get something good out of it.
9.
If you don’t understand something, ask! Every single teacher I’ve had
here at Cairn has always responded graciously to any emails I sent with a
question. Teachers love it when you ask questions because that shows you’re
doing the work and thinking about it, and that you want to do the work well. If
there’s a prompt for a homework assignment that is confusing for you, or if the
guidelines for your paper or presentation could mean a couple different things,
just send the professor an email and ask them. They will be more than happy to
get back to you and elaborate on what they mean and what they are looking for.
Just remember; it never hurts to ask!
10.
WANT IT. This is the most important tip I could possibly give. You have
to WANT to get your homework done, or else none of these tips will work
anyways. You have to be willing to sit down and work hard for this education
that you are paying to have. College is a gift that plenty of American students
take for granted. We’re here to experience and learn, and to learn we have to
do some things that aren’t always pleasant. Even if it’s not pleasant, you can
want to get it done. And who knows? Maybe you’ll learn a few things by the time
you finish that annoying homework assignment or tough paper.
~Rachel Krodel
It’s finals week, a time that for many can be filled with
great amounts of stress. Many of you may start to see your news feeds littered
with stories of those who decided to cheat in order to pass with various
creative methods. Some of them will get caught, but I am here to share with you
a foolproof method for cheating on finals.
The first thing to do is find out what is going to be on the
test. You can usually find this information in the syllabus, or on eLearning.
If you can’t find any information there, just ask the professor. Sometimes
hiding in plain sight is the least suspicious thing you can do.
You will need a secure location for the next step. I
recommend the library study rooms for their unrivaled privacy and lack of
interruption. (The library also provides coffee during finals week to fuel your
diabolical plans. It is also open for an extra hour on Sunday, Monday, and
Tuesday) Remember to prepare ahead of time. Last second attempts almost always
fail or get caught.
This next step is the most important. You need to take the
information that you know will be on the final and write it onto your memory.
Repetition is your friend here. Flash cards and mnemonic devices can help here
too. This is very important as the teacher CANNOT see what is inside of your
head. You can hide any amount of information in there with little to no
repercussions.
Get a good night’s rest. You’ll need it.
Finally, on the day of the test, confidence is key. Walk
through the door in the least suspicious way you can muster. Write down all the
information that you "snuck in" and leave to avoid suspicion. Remember, the teacher has NO way of knowing that you have all the
answers. Unless you tell him or her, you will NOT get caught.
If you made it this far and followed all the steps you
should be good to go. Be sure to laugh at all the other students who are
“studying.” You know better. Enjoy your break.
~Ryan Eshelman
1. Check and respond to your Cairn email. I’ve missed numerous deadlines (payments, book return dates, etc.) because I either neglected to read my email or just chose not to care, expecting that things would go my way. Entitlement is not an appropriate Christian attitude.
Lesson Learned: Freshman Year
2. Take responsibility. I don’t know about you, but I have weaseled my way out of lots of problems, even at a Biblical university. I like to blame the cosmic forces that are (so, God I guess) for every problem that comes my way. “I’m sorry,” is a much better response than, “I can’t pay that $500 fine for this overdue book because I’m busy and never check my school email."
Lesson Learned: Sophomore Year
3. Work now, play later. Prioritizing your life as a student means that assignments come first. If for some reason they can’t, then you need to re-prioritize so they can. Completing work on-time and completing work well can be an act of worship with the right motivation. Do all things to the glory of God.
Lesson Learned: Junior Year
4. Print assignments early. A lot of folks like to print out papers 10 minutes before their class starts. Waiting in line at the printer can be super frustrating especially if the printer malfunctions (which can happen), and puts you in a poor mood for class.
Lesson Learned: Sophomore Year
5. Accept help with grace. Cairn faculty, staff, and student workers are not out to get you. We want to help because we in fact do know that life is tough, stressful, and out-of-control at times. If you let go of pride and accept help (or let go of pride that things could ever dare go wrong for you) then we can help you more effectively.
Lesson Learned: Junior Year
6. Trust Jesus. Ultimately, a failing grade does not have eternal weight. It may bring shame or disappointment, but your righteousness and approval before God is found solely in Christ. If you truly grasp that, you have the power to go before a professor and admit your mistakes (not hiding them because you fear punishment) and even ask for help. Repentance plays just as important role in human relationships as it does with God and will prevent a lot of problems from getting as bad as you might let them.
Lesson Re-learned: Every Year
~Ben Overbey
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